1. Field
The present invention relates to a tip meter. In particular, the invention relates to a tip meter with a display that customers use to show the real time tip percentage to the service staff during the course of service. The tip percentage may be adjusted up or down depending on the customer's current satisfaction with the service. The tip meter also calculates the total bill, with inclusion of a particular tip percentage, and a light to notify staff when service is needed.
2. Background
Often the wait staff at a restaurant is unaware of a customer's satisfaction with their service until the bill has been paid and the tip is different than expected or the standard. Most commonly, the tip is lower than a “standard” percentage or the tip is non-existent because the customer perceives the service as poorer than expected. The after-the-fact nature of a tip makes it difficult for a server to improve service during the course of a meal.
While customers may complain about service, the complaint may not be voiced until after the meal has been completed, giving the server no opportunity to improve the service and thus improve the tip that the customer elects to pay to the server. Thus, the need exists for a device that conveys a customer's real time, current satisfaction with the service to the server, giving the server the opportunity to improve his or her service.